One Polish meat protest canceled, another started

ByWITH ANALYSIS FROM MONITOR CORRESPONDENTS AROUND THE WORLDEDITED BY RANDY SHIPPDecember 23, 1980

Warsaw
— Workers staging a sit-in to demand increased Christmas supplies of meat and butter in the central Polish town of Piotrkow Trybunalski called off their protest Monday, the Solidarity trade union reported. Some 150 worker-delegates began a sit-in at the local government office building last Thursday to complain that ration cards issued in their area provided less than half the national allowance of meat and butter.

Meanwhile, factory workers in Chelm, 15 miles from the Soviet border, called a one-hour strike for the same goal. Officials in the town said 55 factories would take part in the strike and workers from 60 other plants would show support by putting up national flags and wearing armbands. They said the strike also was protesting alleged harassment by local authorities, and was called for only one hour so as not to inconvenience residents during the holidays.